Warriors: Black Sunlight
by Tanglestar
Summary: Sequal to The Crossing! A Great Darkness Will Fall Upon the Forest... Darkheart may know who his parents were, but he still does not know who murdered them. As a battle with Windclan looms, there may also be other threats...
1. First Page Preview

A/N: This is a preview of a part of the book. There was a lot of confusion about this in The Crossing; I just wanted to make it clear.

Darkheart felt his hear pounding in his head. _This is the end_, he thought. He turned to look at Nightpaw; he saw how thin he was. _Am I that thin too?_ He wondered. _I have failed you, Shadestar_, he thought.

Then he remembered what Shadestar had told him…


	2. Allegiances

THUNDERCLAN

**Leader**** Shadestar-**Black she-cat with a white underbelly

**Apprentice, Nightpaw**

**Deputy**** Icefur**-White she-cat with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat** Whitewhisker-Calico she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentice, Silverpaw**

**Warriors**** Rockfall-**Tabby tom with black markings

**Stonecloud-**Grayish black tom

**Fernheart-**Pale ginger she-cat withamber eyes

**Wildflower-**Tortoiseshell she-cat

**Sageleaf-**Gray tom with green eyes

**Bluetail-**Grayish she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentice, Lionpaw**

**Heatherspeckle-**Light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes.

**Leafears-**Dark browntabby she-cat with green eyes

**Longfur-**She-cat with long black fur

**Darkheart- **Pure black tom

**Apprentice, Owlpaw**

**Shrewfur**-Gray tom with yellow eyes

**Goldenwing-**Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**Patchclaw**-Calico she-cat

**Apprentices Nightpaw**- Black tom

**Silverpaw**- Gray and white she-cat with blue eyes.

**Owlpaw-** Tortoiseshell She-cat

**Lionpaw-** Golden pelted tom with green eyes

**Queen** **Tinyberry-**Small gray pelted she-cat with blue eyes (2 kits, Spottedkit and

Barkkit)

**Elders** **Mousestalker**-Brown she-cat with blue eyes

**Mudpelt-**Old brown tom

**Brighteyes-**Yellow eyed she-cat with a white pelt

RIVERCLAN

**Leader Barkstar**- Brown tabby tomDeputy Clawscar-Black tom with scar across left eye

**Medicine Cat**** Appleeyes-**Green eyed tortoiseshell she-cat

**Warriors** **Brakenspots-**Tortoiseshell tom with brown eyes

**Haretooth-**Tabby tom

**Lizardstripe-**Green eyed she-cat

**Leopardspring-**Spotty tom with white paws

**Queens**** Mistyfur-**Grayish blue she-cat (6 kits)

**Elders ****Shortpelt-**Thin furred tom

**Willowwhisker-**White and brown she-cat

SHADOWCLAN

**Leader**** Cinderstar-**Dusky brownshe-cat

**Deputy**** Smallfoot-**Black and white tom

**Medicine Cat ****Ravenwing-**Black she-cat

**Warriors**** Whitestripe-**Black and white she-cat

**Apprentice, Flowerpaw**

**Lionfang-**Golden brown tabby tom

**Icefrost-**White she-cat with black markings

**Apprentice, Applepaw**

**Treeclaw-** Tabby Tom

**Apprentice, Summerpaw**

**Poppyfeather**- Tabby she-cat

**Graybelly**-White she-cat with a gray underbelly

**Queens Yellowflower**-Yellow eyed she-cat (2 kits)

**Elders**** Crowtalon-**Black tom

**Tawnyberry**- Blue eyed she-cat

WINDCLAN

**Leader**** Rainstar-**Blue eyed she-cat with a black pelt

**Deputy**** Cloudpelt**-White tom

**Medicine Cat**** Birdshine-**Grayish blue she-cat

**Warriors**** Flamefur-**Ginger tom

**Morningwatcher**-Ginger she-cat

**Tigerface**-Tabby tom

**Apprentice, Blazepaw**

**Mossstorm-**Black and white she-cat

**Apprentice, Echopaw**

**Eagleflight-**Brown and white tom

**Apprentice, Sharppaw**

**Honeymask**-Golden brown she-catQueen Gorsefoot-White tabby she-cat (two kits)


	3. Prologue

_A gray tom walked along the _river with his leader. He opened his mouth. There was an unusual scent here.

"Do you smell that?" He asked a brown tom.

"Yes, I do Shore." The tom answered.

"It smells like cats, but no cats from the Tribe." Mewed a third tom, this one black.

"They aren't Tribe cats, Hawk," mewed the brown cat, "they are clan cats."

"Clan cats?" mewed Shore.

"You mean like the cats that Night mated with?" asked Hawk.

"Yes." Mewed the brown tom.

"What are you going to do about it, Climber?" asked Shore.

"We are going to find these cats and teach them a lesson," Mewed Climber, "get a patrol together. We cross the river at sunhigh!"

**A/N: Sorry this prologue is so short, but it pretty much says what I want it to say.**


	4. Chapter 1

_Darkheart's pelt was soaked to the_ bone. It was heavy and it was cold. He was also tired after the gathering and Thistlefern's vigil, and wanted to sleep desperately. He started walking towards his den when Shadestar called out "Darkheart! Come to my den."

_At least I'm going to a den_, Darkheart thought. He walked in and saw Shadestar there waiting for him.

"Have a seat." The Thunderclan leader mewed.

Darkheart sat down on the soft moss of her den. It was much softer then the moss in the warriors' den.

"From what I hear, you had to cross the river to get the kits." Shadestar mewed.

Darkheart nodded. It was only a little while ago he was crossing the Great River. It was only a little while ago Nightpaw almost drowned.

Shadestar sighed. "Let's hope the Tribe doesn't find out," she mewed, "they've been looking for a reason to take our territory for too long."

Darkheart could picture being in that fight, attacking his kin, his kin attacking him. _You could have been on the other side of that fight,_ he thought. He shook the thought away, remembering what he heard Blackthroat say lat night. _You are right where you are needed. _What did that mean?

"Do you have any idea who's been leaving the roses?" Shadestar asked.

Darkheart couldn't tell the leader what Shrewfur had told him. _He's had a grudge against Tinyberry forever._ And why would Tinyberry put her own kits at such a risk? Barkkit and Spottedkit had both survived, but how could anyone be certain?

"No, but I'll keep looking." He mewed.

"Very well," the leader mewed, standing up, "let's go."

Darkheart and Shadestar exited her den, and then Shadestar called out, "Let all those old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Rock for a clan meeting!"

Many of the cats were already in the clearing, from Thistlefern's vigil. Those that weren't probably wouldn't have been sleeping much longer anyway because it was almost sunrise. Mudpelt and Mousestalker had left with Thistlefern's body and Shrewfur walked up to him with Bluetail. They had been up all night as well. Thistlefern was Shrewfur's father.

"As many of you know, last night, Shrewfur, Darkheart and Nightpaw crossed the Great River to rescue Barkkit and Spottedkit." Shadestar mewed.

"Darkheart! Shrewfur! Nightpaw!" The clan chanted their names.

"We must also mourn the loss of Thistlefern. He was a brave warrior." Shadestar mewed.

The clan stayed silent for a moment, and then the Thunderclan leader continued, "The gathering last night did not go well. I fear Barkstar and Rainstar have made an alliance against us."

The

Cats started mewing amongst themselves. "Do not worry." Shadestar mewed. "Cinderstar has agreed to side with us if Riverclan and Windclan attack together."

Now the cats cheered.

"Darkheart, Shrewfur and Nightpaw, you can go get some sleep. I'll take out Owlpaw today. Icefur, organize patrols."

_Finally! _Darkheart padded over to the warriors' den and Shrewfur followed. He muzzled Bluetail and then lay down next to Darkheart. Darkheart shut his eye and went to sleep.


	5. Chapter 2

_Darkheart woke up around sun high. _He stood up and stretched, and saw that Shrewfur was still sleeping. _I'll let him sleep_, he though. Outside, the rain had stopped and the sun was peeking through the clouds. He walked out of the den and headed over to the apprentice's den, where Nightpaw was. _We should go hunt_.

"Wake up you lazy fur ball!" Darkheart mewed.

Nightpaw looked up, startled and tired. "You shocked me," he mewed, "and I was having a good dream."

"We need to hunt." Darkheart mewed.

"Where's Shrewfur?" Nightpaw asked.

"He's sleeping." Darkheart mewed.

"Why does he get to sleep?" Nightpaw mewed.

"He's grieving the loss of his father." Darkheart mewed.

"I wouldn't know my father if he attacked me." Nightpaw mewed.

That statement took Darkheart aback. _That might happen, _he thought, remembering what Shadestar had said about the tribe cats. Darkheart decided that he should tell Nightpaw who he really is. _I'll tell him about Blackthroat while we're hunting_.

"Come on!" Darkheart mewed. He padded out of camp and Nightpaw followed.

"Show me what you know."

Nightpaw opened his mouth to scent, then turned and started padding towards a mouse. He had his weight in his hunches well. He pounced on the mouse and killed it.

"Excellent!" Darkheart mewed. They gave thanks to Starclan for the prey and then buried it. They then continued to pad through the forest, trying to find some more fresh-kill. Darkheart stopped him when he scented rabbit. Rabbits were rare in Thunderclan, because most of them lived on Windclan's territory. Darkheart decided to see if Nightpaw knew how yet. He had been training for about two moons now. _He still has a lot to learn_. Darkheart thought. _Let's see what Shadestar has taught him. _Darkheart figured the leader had, but he decided to see how well she was. _I remember the Mudpelt said she had mentored Rockfall and Thistlefern. _Darkheart's heart sunk, remembering the tom had just joined Starclan. _Could Tinyberry have really killed her brother? _Shrewfur did have a grudge against his former mentor, but was it for a good reason?

"Darkheart!" Nightpaw's mew interrupted Darkheart's thoughts.

Darkheart turned to the apprentice, "Sorry," he began, "I was thinking. Tell me what you can smell."

Nightpaw opened his mouth. "I think I scent rabbit." The apprentice did not sound certain.

"Do you know how to hunt rabbits?" Darkheart persisted.

"Of course!" Nightpaw answered. He got into a hunters crouch, and hissed to Darkheart, "Rabbit hears you, mice feel you."

Darkheart was well aware of that saying. His former mentor, Stonecloud, had said this countless times. Darkheart noticed that Nightpaw had an excellent crouch, considering he had only been hunting for two moons. _That crouch is better than some warrior's._ Darkheart thought. Then, Nightpaw walked over to him, rabbit in mouth.

Darkheart gave thanks to Starclan, picked up the rabbit, and turned back towards camp.


End file.
